Miele Washing machine leaving sludge on clothes

hen house · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:46 pm

Our 4 year old Miele leaves sludges marks on clothes. These wash off easily. The door seal has been replaced, drawer washed out, a 95 degree programme run and Miele engineer looked at machine. Worse on a full load - any suggestions

JohnD · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:02 pm

It's usually excessive amounts of soap powder and conditioner congealed inside.

Was your hot wash without powder?

If you put cotton towels in for a hot wash, with no powder or conditioner, does it froth up as if it had powder in it?

If so, keep doing the no-powder wash until it runs soapless.

As well as cleaning out the drawer, have a look at the channel where the soap runs down from the drawer into the machine - this sometimes contains mildewed soap.

How does the amount of soap you use compare to the instructions on the box?

hen house · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:35 am

Thanks for your reply. I have now run a hot wash without soap, with towels and no soap, it was not frothy. I don't use conditioner but use ecover liquid as we have a septic tank. Is liquid more likely to sludge up in the m/chine? I use less liquid than suggested.

JohnD · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:58 am

you seem to be doing all the right things...

Is there any chance dirty water from the sink is getting into the washer via the drain hose? this can happen if it is connected to the sink waste and does not loop high enough.

Are you washing any very greasy things, like mechanics overalls, and perhaps getting a build-up of dirt? As you say you are using less detergent than recommended, you will not be getting the more common "excess soap" sludge. I'm told the Ariel Tablet is good for cleaning out the washer.

The hot wash with no soap will often wash away sludge deposits. you can have a look round the door seal for grime in the creases and folds, and you can squint down the channel between the soap drawer and the tub (mildew sometimes grows here and can be cleaned off with a kitchen Cleaner with Bleach) and it can help to add the soap with a powerball or something put in through the door rather than the soap drawer, but I'm afraid I've run out of ideas.

p.s.

on a similar earlier question, Sleepyhead wrote:

It's a build up of body fats and soap.
One boil wash won't get rid, it's an accumulated build up and will require several maintenance washes to clean up.
Put one Aeriel tablet into the drum, no clothes, and set the machine going on a boil wash. Repeat this several times and once it's cleaned up continue doing a maintenance wash on a regular basis to keep the machine clean.

see also
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=62283
and
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=56884